


Love To Guide Us As We Go

by BroadwayItBitch



Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Amnesia, Arranged Marriage, Inspired by Barbie as the Island Princess, M/M, Memories, Memory Loss, T. J. Kippen & Amber Are Siblings, yes you heard right
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-11-04 02:31:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17889830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BroadwayItBitch/pseuds/BroadwayItBitch
Summary: TJ is a boy who woke up on an island with no memory of who he was. All he had was a trunk with his broken nameplate with the letters 'T' and 'J', assuming that was his name.10 years later, he was taken back to a kingdom by Prince Cyrus, hoping to find his biological family.But the power of judgment will challenge him.





	Love To Guide Us As We Go

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, this is based on a Barbie movie, but idgaf, these movies gave me the best messages.
> 
> And this movie was a musical, so I tried to paraphrase the songs in dialogue.

As Andi walks to the shore with Walker, her fur drags across the sand. She can still vaguely hear the thunder, even though the storm happened last night.

 

“What a night! What a storm!” She exclaims.

 

“You could say that again, I was nearly blown out of our tree!” Walker replies.

 

There was a big storm the previous night. So violent, so strong, they couldn’t believe it.

 

As they walk on the sand, they notice a gold mirror sticking up in the sand.

 

“What do you make of that, Walker?” Andi asks. They walk over to it and Walker looks at himself.

 

“Ooh. Gorgeous,” He says.

 

“A pretty thing,” Andi replies about the mirror.

 

Walker scoffs, “I was talking about me. Walker, Prince of peacocks.” His feathers spread out.

 

Andi rolls her eyes. “Ah, yes, Prince Walker,” She says sarcastically, bowing.

 

Walker looks over to a washed up trunk.

 

“Oh, better and better!” He walks over to the trunk, opening it to find regal clothing. Walker gasps, “This is, without a doubt, the best day of my life!”

 

Walker dips his head into the trunk, searching around.

 

Something catches Andi’s eye. She looks over and sees a flag draped over something.

 

“Walker,” She says, running over to the flag.

 

“Hold your seahorses, Andi,” He replies, not lifting his head.

 

“Walker, now.”

 

Walker finally lifts his head. “Okay, I’m coming,” He follows her.

 

She uncovers the object underneath the flag. It’s revealed that the object is actually a child. A young boy with dirty blond hair, about the age of 6, lay unconscious.

 

“What is so…” Walker trails off when he sees the boy. “Oh.”

 

“He’s alive,” Andi sighs in relief.

 

“Good. When he wakes up, he can swim back the way he came,” Walker huffs.

 

“We have to help him,” Andi persists.

 

“We’re going to regret this. And when we do, remember that it was your idea.”

 

\--------------------

 

**TEN YEARS LATER**

 

TJ was 16 years old today. It was ten years ago he was found by Andi and Walker. Ever since then, he never knew where he came from, who his family was or what his name was.

 

“C’mon, Buffy!” TJ calls.

 

“Wait up, Teej!” An elephant calls.

 

Life on the island is great. Amazing food, comfort, places to play. But most importantly, they had each other.

 

TJ had learned to talk to animals in the years he’s been on the island, thus he’s able to understand them.

 

Buffy joined their crew a few months ago. It’s unknown where she came from, but they love her nonetheless.

 

“Last one in the water’s a rotten papaya!” Walker calls out.

 

They run into the water.

 

“You’re the rotten papaya, Walker!” Buffy laughs.

 

“Happy birthday, TJ,” Andi says.

 

“Thanks, Andi-man,” TJ replies.

 

\--------------------

 

They were asleep. Like every day, they exhausted themselves. But they have fun this time of year.

 

But Buffy wasn’t having a fun night.

 

“Oh… No! No!” She yells in her sleep. She stomps her foot against a nearby tree trunk, where Andi and Walker were sleeping. “No! No!”

 

“Huh?” Andi murmurs, waking up to the banging. She ends up falling out of the tree.

 

“Hmm?” Walker wakes up. He also falls out of the tree. Walker falling grabs the attention of TJ.

 

TJ, Andi and Walker go over to the panicking elephant.

 

“Someone obviously doesn’t care about my beauty sleep,” Walker says, flying back up to the tree.

 

“Buffy! Buffy!” TJ whispers. Buffy wakes up, gasping.

 

“Did I wake you?”

 

“It’s alright,” TJ coos.

 

“Easy for you to say! You don’t need to rearrange hundreds of feathers!” Walker scolds.

 

Buffy sighs, “I’ll just stay up for awhile. Like all night.”

 

“Me, too,” TJ says. “We’ll stay up together.”

 

Buffy smiles. TJ sits down in the grass next to Buffy.

 

“Do you see the stars?” TJ asks.

 

“Yeah!”

 

“Okay… There’s yours,” TJ starts pointing to the stars. “Andi’s and mine and Walker’s.”

 

“He has two!”

 

“He is royalty,” TJ chuckles.

 

“We’re all together,” Buffy says. “Can you sing me the lullaby again?”

 

“Of course.”

 

TJ clears his throat.

 

“ _Sun goes down and we are here together,_ ” He sings. “ _Fireflies glow like a thousand charms._ ”

 

Buffy yawns.

 

“ _Stay with me and you can dream forever right here in my arms tonight._ ”

 

“Sing the other part, too?” Buffy asks.

 

“Okay,” TJ relents. “Just remember I don’t remember all the words.”

 

He hums the first part, not remembering the lyrics.

 

“ _Stars begin to climb._ ”

 

TJ continues to hum until he hears the snoring of Buffy, now asleep.

 

“Goodnight, Buffy,” TJ says as he falls asleep himself.

 

\--------------------

 

‘ _Another day, another island,_ ’ Cyrus thought to himself. He’s been on a trip for several months now.

 

“Land ho! Three points off the starboard bow!” Cyrus yells.

 

He sighs. He loves doing these adventures. It’s always an adrenaline rush for him. Riches and gold couldn’t compare to sailing. Cyrus is always excited to find a new discovery when he's in a new place.

 

As the ship docks near the shore, Cyrus and another man prepare to jump down.

 

“Be careful, Marty,” Cyrus advises.

 

“Why wouldn’t I be, your Highness? I’ve done this several times,” Marty boasts as he lands on the sand.

 

“The last island we found, you fell into the ocean,” Cyrus laughs. Cyrus lands next to Marty.

 

“Untrue! You frightened me,” He protests.

 

As Cyrus walks along the sand, he takes a deep breath. Taking in the island scent was refreshing. He walks into the forest, moving leaves out of the way and he fails to notice the animals and TJ hiding.

 

“It doesn’t have a trunk,” Buffy whispers.

 

“It doesn’t have a tail,” Andi whispers back.

 

“I don’t see feathers on it,” Walker joins.

 

“I think it looks like me,” TJ breathily says.

 

Buffy, Andi and Walker gasp.

 

“It must be bad. We have to hide!” Buffy says.

 

“She has a point,” Andi replies.

 

Then the screams of Cyrus and Marty is enough to send TJ through the trees. TJ knows that he couldn’t not help them, despite of the protests of the others.

 

He hides behind a bush. Cyrus and Marty were cornered by crocodiles. TJ grabbed a vine, swinging himself to a nearby ledge.

 

“Riki!” TJ yells. “Taj, Kiki! That’s enough!”

 

The crocodiles groan from the strange men’s perspective.

 

“Is… he talking to the crocodiles?”

 

TJ chuckles. “No, not even a little piece. Swim along,” TJ says and the crocodiles retreat. “I’m sorry about that. We’re not used to visitors. Who are you?”

 

“Who are _you_?” Cyrus tries.

 

\--------------------

 

Cyrus touches the broken nameplate on the clothing trunk, only with the letters ‘T’ and ‘J’ on it.

 

“TJ? Is that your name?” Cyrus asks.

 

“I believe so.”

 

Cyrus stands up from his place. “You don’t remember anything?”

 

TJ shrugs, “Andi said I came from the sea a long time ago,” he admits.

 

The chest washed up with him, and the nameplate was broken, so he’s always assumed it was actually his name.

 

“Perhaps a shipwreck,” Cyrus suggests.

 

“I don’t know. Maybe.”

 

Cyrus' face scrunches, “Who’s Andi?”

 

TJ turns around to a bunch of leaves.

 

“You can come out now. They won’t bite,” TJ promises. Buffy, Andi and Walker come out of hiding, worried looks on their faces. “Andi, Buffy and Walker.”

 

Marty gasps. “A red panda, elephant and peacock, your Highness!”

 

“I don’t know how to thank you, TJ. You saved us and… let us save you,” Cyrus states to TJ.

 

“I… I still don’t know your name, ” TJ retorts shyly.

 

“Oh, my, how silly of me!” Marty says. “I introduce Prince Cyrus Goodman of Apollonia!” He bows.

 

Walker squawks. “Prince?” He displays his feathers. “Perhaps we’re related!”

 

The thing is, from Marty and Cyrus' perspective, it’s just non-stop squawking. Cyrus' eyes widen.

 

“Okay, Walker, we get it,” TJ scolds, “He’s a prince, you’re a prince.”

 

Andi and Buffy laugh.

 

“You really understand him?” Cyrus asks, still not believing the fact that TJ can talk to animals.

 

“Yes, don’t you?”

 

Cyrus chuckles. “All I hear is the incessant squawking.”

 

“I should introduce you to Marty, here,” Cyrus gestures to Marty, who is writing down some notes in a pad of paper. “My friend, viceroy and scientist.”

 

“I have much to ask you, TJ,” Marty says, not looking up from the notepad.

 

“TJ, come back with me, to my kingdom.” This offer startles the island boy, including the animals. “To civilization.”

 

“Civilization?”

 

“What lies beyond the horizon. A world of people like you and me.”

 

\--------------------

 

TJ looks off into the moonlight. It had been a few hours since Cyrus' offer to bring TJ home. He’s never left the island since he got there. He never met any other humans.

 

But maybe leaving is what TJ needs to find his family.

 

“You’re really leaving?” Buffy asks. “You can’t mean it, TJ!”

 

“I believe it’s an excellent idea,” The peacock counters, making Buffy mad.

 

TJ sighs at the sight.

 

“TJ?” Andi questions.

 

The island boy looks at his friends- no, family in sadness.

 

“Guys, I… All of my memories start with a storm. There might be someone out there that needs me.”

 

TJ needs to find his biological family.

 

“I mean, I have all these questions that are burning to be answered. Do I have parents, siblings? What’s my status? Where do I come from?”

 

And as he and his family walked down to the ship, a new chapter turned for the island boy.

 

\--------------------

 

Cyrus feels butterflies in his stomach while they’re on the sea. Not because they were on a ship, but there’s something about TJ that he can’t understand. TJ is not like any person he’s met before.

 

TJ’s daring, bold. Cyrus thinks it’s from the past 10 years on the island.

 

And TJ thinks that all of Cyrus' traditions are strange. The shoes, the looking glass, it’s all weird.

 

They do not know what’s going on. They need to know. TJ needs to know his past. Cyrus needs to know his feelings. They can’t tell what’s waiting.

 

\--------------------

 

After a week on the sea, they’ve made it to Apollonia. From their eyesight, they can see a grand castle, and the docks and a lovely little village.

 

TJ smiled to the new scenery, thinking that things will be different.

 

The ship docks at the stone platform.

 

“Look at this place, Buffy!” TJ happily says. “Everyone-”

 

TJ’s sentence is interrupted by a bird hitting the sail, the bunch of green and white feathers falling to the ground.

 

TJ leans down and holds out his hand to the animal, and the bird hops onto his palm.

 

“You okay?” He asks it.

 

“Good as new, thank you,” The bird says as it flies away.

 

TJ smiles at Cyrus, the prince walking onto the road.

 

“Everyone’s like me,” The island boy says upon looking at the civilians. Buffy’s trunk nudges his arm.

 

The elephant looks at the civilians as well. “But no one’s like me,” She says. “Let’s go home, Teej.”

 

TJ looks down at her, “Without exploring first? That doesn’t sound like you, Buffy.”

 

Buffy frowns.

 

“Good to have you back, your Highness,” a steward says.

 

“Good to see you, too, Metcalf.”

 

Metcalf gasps when he sees TJ and the animals. “What beasts have you brought home this time?”

 

Walker’s expression changes from awe to disbelief. “Did he just call us beasts? Beasts?”

 

Metcalf is once again startled when Walker gobbles loudly, but neither TJ, Cyrus and Marty are phased.

 

“The royal carriage,” Metcalf says, opening the door to the carriage. Walker squacks again, flying to the carriage.

 

“Translation?” Cyrus asks.

 

TJ chuckles. “Walker likes riding in style,” He laughs.

 

“As you will,” Cyrus holds his hand out, and TJ is about to grab it, but Buffy stops him with her trunk.

 

“Oh!” TJ exclaims. “I hope you won’t mind, I’ll go with Buffy.”

 

Cyrus' face drops in disappointment, but regains his composure.

 

“Of course,” He replies.

 

TJ climbs on top of Buffy, along with Andi in tow and the two boys ride alongside each other.

 

\--------------------

 

King Norman and Queen Leslie look out the window, seeing their son walking to the front gates.

 

“We should’ve waited,” Leslie says, holding Jonah in her arms.

 

“I know what’s best for my own son, Leslie,” Norman counters, his voice firm. They walk away from the window.

 

“I know you were adventurous as a boy.”

 

The king scoffs. “Yes, and then I grew up.”

 

Leslie sets Jonah down on his mini throne. “Oh, Norman.”

 

They turn around upon hearing the doors to the throne room being opened.

 

“Mother! Father!” Cyrus exclaims.

 

“Oh, Cyrus, darling!” Leslie excitedly says, running over to her son and hugging him. She lets go of him.

 

“Good to see you, son,” Norman holds out his hand for a handshake, which Cyrus reciprocates.

 

“As am I, Father.”

 

Jonah starts babbling, hungry for the attention.

 

“How are you, Jonah?”

 

The monkey babbles again.

 

“Mother, Father, I have someone I want you to meet,” Cyrus says once he’s facing his parents again. “His name is TJ.”

 

He turns back to the door, and the island boy and animals walk in with caution.

 

“Marty and I found him stranded on an island, possibly shipwrecked years ago.”

 

TJ shyly looks at them. “Hello, it’s nice to meet you.”

 

Leslie’s face softens, but Norman’s still seems firm.

 

“Welcome,” She says, “Oh, what an ordeal. Were you alone all those years?”

 

TJ’s shy persona drops, and he becomes more perky.

 

“I wasn’t alone, I had the birds and the animals.”

 

Leslie coos. “Pets can be such a comfort to all. I wouldn’t imagine life without my dear Jonah,” She shows the monkey off.

 

“Where are you from?” Walker asks Jonah.

 

“Quite far, actually. The South Seas,” He replies, his voice snooty.

 

TJ gasps. “We’re from the South Seas, too!”

 

Jonah’s eyes widen. “You… understand?”

 

From the king and queen’s point of view, Jonah is babbling and TJ looks like he is going crazy.

 

“What on earth is he doing?” Norman asks.

 

“Can you believe it? TJ can talk to animals.”

 

Norman huffs. “Interesting. Now I have important news. A cause for celebration!”

 

King Norman turns him and Cyrus to the grand staircase, and a young girl, about Cyrus' age walks down the stairs. Her hair was dark and down with a braid down the middle. Her dress was purple in color, and she held the front up to keep herself from stepping on it.

 

When she stops in front of Norman, he grabs her hand and kisses the top of it.

 

“I am delighted to introduce Princess Iris,” Iris curtseys to Cyrus. “Your bride-to-be.”

 

Cyrus does a double take. Did he hear correctly? ‘Bride-to be’?

 

“My what?” Cyrus' remark makes TJ jump.

 

“Finally lovely to make your acquaintance, Prince Cyrus,” Iris says with a sweet smile.

 

Cyrus returns the smile with his own. “Likewise, your Highness,” He says. “Father, I’m-”

 

“Very excited, I presume,” Norman interrupts. “And her mother, Queen Ingrid.”

 

Another woman comes down the staircase. This woman looks as if she’s only a few years younger than Cyrus' parents. Her hair is in a bun, and the same brunette color as Iris. Her dress was dark red, and it seemed like she had a completely different personality than her daughter.

 

“An honor to meet my future son-in-law,” Ingrid says with a bow.

 

“Your Highness,” He returns the bow.

 

Ingrid sighs. “I can just see it. Everyone here for the engagement ball tomorrow night!”

 

Cyrus lets out another exasperated sigh. “Tomorrow?!”

 

And with that, TJ and the animals run out of the throne room.

 

\--------------------

 

TJ walks in the front garden. What was he thinking? Cyrus is a prince and TJ is not.

 

“We never should’ve come.”

 

Buffy walks next to TJ, a frown on her face.

 

“TJ! TJ, wait!”

 

TJ turns around to see Cyrus running toward him.

 

“I didn’t know,” The prince defends.

 

TJ’s frown turns into a slight smirk. “Thank you for showing us civilization, but I want to go back,” Cyrus frowns himself. “When can the next ship take us home?”

 

Cyrus ignores TJ’s request. “Please stay. Pick any room in the castle and the animals will be comfortable in the royal stable.”

 

Andi looks up to TJ in concern.

 

“Thank you, but I’ll stay with my family.”

 

\--------------------

 

TJ found his way to the stable pretty easily. He’s been around animals all his life, and it’s pretty much nature to him.

 

He and his family walked up to the enclosure and saw a pig try to what seems to scratch an itchy spot.

 

“I can’t get it!” The pig yells.

 

TJ leans over the fence and starts scratching at the spot. “How’s this?”

 

The pig sighs in relief. “Perfect!”

 

TJ leans back up from the pig. “Glad to help.”

 

Then the pig starts squealing, running away from TJ.

 

“Did he just answer me?” The pig asks. Another pig walks up next to him.

 

“Better watch what you say,” The other pig says with a snort.

 

TJ laughs. “Nice to meet you. I’m TJ.”

 

The startled pig’s mood changes to a warm one. “Well, I’m Reed, this is Lester. I’m the pig in charge around here,” He says.

 

Lester rolls his eyes. “I like to humor him.”

 

Everyone laughs.

 

“Could we trouble you for a place to stay?” Andi asks.

 

Reed walks over to a mud puddle. “Plenty of room right here!” He says, jumping in and lathering himself in the mud.

 

Walker puts a forced smile on his face. “We couldn’t impose,” He fake laughs. “Please show us to a nice, sturdy tree.”

 

Lester snorts again. “A tree? Well, the pig in charge can take you to the royal greenhouse.”

 

TJ lets Reed out of the pen and they start walking to the greenhouse. At least TJ has some new friends.

 

\--------------------

 

“I can’t marry Princess Iris,” Cyrus told his parents.

 

Norman lets go of his wife’s arm. “Why? She’s beautiful, talented, from an impeccable royal family-”

 

“I’m sure she is,” Cyrus interrupts. “but there’s someone else.”

 

Leslie gasps. “Cyrus, you don’t mean…”

 

The family looks out the window to see TJ riding Buffy and laughing.

 

“He’s different than anyone I’ve met before,” He says fondly.

 

“Clearly,” The king deadpans.

 

Cyrus turns back to his parents. “He’s daring, curious, at home in the outdoors.”

 

Cyrus has been presented to many princesses in his lifetime. He was only five when he was first presented to a princess.

 

“Who also talks to animals. Be serious for once in your life, Cyrus. I’ve let you travel to your heart’s content, but the time has come for you to settle down,” Norman scolds. “And as a prince, you must marry a princess. And only a princess.”

 

Cyrus' jaw drops. There were only some times Norman put his foot down, but now that the king is doing this, it can determine Cyrus' whole future.

 

\--------------------

 

Iris and her mother were unpacking their trunks that they brought from their home. Of course Ingrid brought more than she needed.

 

“They could’ve gave me a better room,” Ingrid complained.

 

Iris chuckles, “It’s fine, Mother.”

 

Ingrid places her and Iris’s crowns on the vanity.

 

“Not for the mother of the future queen!” Ingrid exclaims, kissing her daughter on the cheek.

 

“Queen? I’m not even married yet,” Iris counters. “And I’m not sure I should.”

 

Ingrid stomps back up to Iris.

 

“Don’t even joke about that!”

 

Iris sighs. “Did you see the way he looked at the island boy?” She asks.

 

“With contempt? Disdain? Scorn?”

 

Iris shakes her head. “No, with love, Mother. I’ve always dreamed of marrying somebody I love. And who loves me.”

 

The loud clacking of Ingrid’s heels says it all. She’s getting angrier.

 

“Love? I certainly didn’t love your father when I married him,” Ingrid scolds. “Love isn’t for us royals, Iris. You can’t marry a random person off the street, marry someone with a crown, dear. A happy life is guaranteed.”

 

Iris gives a concerned and confused look towards her mother. “Mother, that can’t be right,” She says, grabbing a book. “In my books, the inner love is what makes you happy, not diamonds.”

 

Ingrid rolls her eyes. “You’d better stop reading those books. Filling your head with thoughts.”

 

Iris gasps. All her life, Ingrid was telling her daughter to get an education, so that she can find the one and now she had told her to stop?

 

“Now go on, Iris. Do something to make yourself prettier,” Ingrid smiles.

 

“Yes… Mother,” Iris says, sadly walking out of the room.

 

Ingrid goes to another trunk, taking out a cage of her pet mice.

 

The king has forgotten how he wrecked Ingrid’s life. When she was only a baby, her parents committed treason. Norman took away their land, and put them on a farm.

 

When she reached adulthood, she left and cleaned up her act, for the time being. She never discussed her past, and married to an old king and he died very soon after.

 

But when she heard that King Norman had a son, she had Iris right away. She had put her in training. She’s waited for this day for 16 years.

 

Once they wed, she’ll implement her plot. The Goodmans were going to pay.

 

\--------------------

 

TJ woke with the smell of roses filling his nostrils and the sound of the fountain. He slept well in the greenhouse. It was like home.

 

“Good morning, Buffy,” TJ groggily says. “Sleep well?”

 

Buffy turns to him. “I can’t wait till we go home,” She firmly replies, walking off.

 

TJ frowns and Andi walks up on a branch.

 

“Not that simple, is it?” Andi asks.

 

“Now that I’m here, I know there must be people I belong to,” He says as he looks out the window. “Somewhere. I just don’t know how to find them.”

 

Buffy slumps near TJ.

 

“I know we’re a long way from home, Buffy, but at least we’re together.”

 

The elephant smiles.

 

The door opens, startling TJ.

 

It was Cyrus.

 

“TJ! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” Cyrus closes the door behind him. “I want my parents to get to know you better.”

 

TJ walks towards him.

 

“Please. Join us for tea.”

 

\--------------------

 

TJ looked around the table. He felt out of place, sitting there fidgeting and messing with his new suit.

 

The table was set outside under a gazebo. The breeze in the air was light and lovely.

 

His suit was a pale pink, and he was actually glad to be out of his old tunic that he’d worn for years.

 

Ingrid happily sighs. “Oh, I love this castle! Everything is just how I reme-” She catches herself. “I could have done it myself.”

 

Metcalf pours tea into their cups, TJ nodding to him to say thank you.

 

“Consider our home your home,” Leslie smiles to Ingrid.

 

“I already do!” Ingrid takes a sip of her tea once it’s served. “Did you know that my darling Iris is an accomplished harpist? I started her as soon as she could sit up.”

 

Iris sighs, slouching in her chair. “Mother.”

 

Ingrid moves her head to Iris, and she notices the poor posture. “Stop slouching.”

 

Iris fixes her spine so it could be straight.

 

TJ takes the teacup in his hand. It’s warm and smelled strange. He takes a sip of the liquid and it burns his tongue.

 

“Ow!” He yells, gaining everyone’s attention.

 

Iris takes her cup. “Watch me,” She whispers to him. Iris blows the steam away, cooling the tea down and takes a small sip.

 

“Thank you,” He replies, copying her.

 

“TJ grew up on an island in the South Seas,” Cyrus explains.

 

Ingrid gives TJ a fake smile. “You could hardly tell,” She chuckles. “Look how charming your little monkey is. Such impeccable manners and he’s a monkey!”

 

Jonah folds his hands on the table.

 

TJ frowns at Jonah, feeling that if an animal has more mannered behaviors, how could he?

 

“Sweetheart, tell Prince Cyrus about your watercolors.”

 

Iris rebuffs her mother. “Perhaps another time.”

 

Ingrid rolls her eyes, trying to persuade Iris.

 

“Don’t be modest. Go on, you love to paint,” She scolds.

 

Iris smiles through it, however. “Oh, I do. The colors just seem to come to life on paper.”

 

Metcalf starts handing out pastries, first handing them out to the people on the right side of the table. After he serves the Goodmans, he serves Ingrid and Iris.

 

Ingrid puts her foot out, making Metcalf fall over, dropping the plate of pastries falling on TJ. The icing from the pastries splatters all over his suit, permanently staining the fabric.

 

“Oh, my!” Metcalf exclaims.

 

TJ stands up, wiping the pastry residue off.

 

“I’m so sorry, sir!”

 

TJ looks up to everyone, tears threatening to come out of his eyes.

 

“I… I should go.”

 

TJ runs away from the table, running to the greenhouse.

 

“TJ! TJ, wait!” Cyrus tries to chase him, but Leslie stops him.

 

“Cyrus, let him go,” She says. “He needs a moment to himself.”

 

Cyrus and Ingrid look on. Cyrus worryingly looks at him, and Ingrid smugly eats a pastry.

 

\--------------------

 

TJ, now back in his tunic, looks sadly at a pot of withering roses.

 

“You look the way I feel,” TJ sighs. “Everything I do here is… wrong.”

 

He pushes the pot into the sunlight, and they start thriving. At least he did one thing right.

 

“ _It's magic when you are here beside me. Close your eyes and let me hold you tight._ ”

 

He walks over to a fig tree, picking the fruit off the branch.

 

“ _Everything that I could ever need is right here in my arms tonight..._ ” He finishes the melody. Then he hears the pitter-patter of feet and he looks behind him.

 

“Jonah!” He greets. “Hello!”

 

Jonah shyly ducks his head. “I didn’t mean to intrude.”

 

TJ smiles. “It’s okay.”

 

TJ looks at the fig, and he leans down so he’s eye-level to Jonah.

 

“Want one?”

 

Jonah places his hands on his hips. “Without a knife and fork? Don’t be ridiculous!”

 

TJ hums. “Just one bite?”

 

Jonah relents, holding his hands out to grab the fruit. “Well, if you insist, just one.” He takes a bite of the fig and his eyes widen. “Mm! My sister and I would climb trees to pick these!”

 

TJ stands back up, looking in the tree to another fig. “See that one at the top branch?” He points up. “It’s all yours.”

 

Jonah’s voice wavers. “You mean, climb up there?”

 

TJ turns back to Jonah with a confused look. “I’ll hold your crown so it won’t fall off.”

 

Jonah looks away. “No, it’s just… I’ve forgotten how.”

 

TJ nods. “Forgotten how to climb?” He leans back down, picking Jonah up. “We can fix that.”

 

\--------------------

 

Cyrus was told to take a walk with Iris as Norman took Ingrid on a tour of the castle grounds.

 

Surprisingly, Cyrus found Iris very pleasant.

 

“What do you enjoy most on your travels?” She asks.

 

“Everything,” He says bluntly. “Following the wind. Discovering something new around the next bay.”

 

Iris tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “Don’t you miss the comforts of home?”

 

Cyrus chuckles. “No, not when I can sleep under the open sky.”

 

Along the way, they run into King Norman and Queen Ingrid at the stable.

 

“The stable, your Majesty,” Norman says.

 

Ingrid looks at the animals with disgust written on her face. Reed falls into the mud, which splashes onto Ingrid’s gown.

 

“Ugh! Pigs! Nasty little things!” She nervously laughs. “Get away!”

 

“I greatly apologize, Ingrid.”

 

Ingrid waves him off. “Not to worry. Where’s that well?”

 

Ingrid walks away from Norman, over to the other side of the stable where a well is located.

 

“Let me help, Mother,” Iris calls, joining her mother and helping her clean the dress.

 

“Odd, isn’t it?” Cyrus whispers to his father. “Queen Ingrid knew exactly where to find the well even though she’s never been here before.”

 

Norman squints at the queen. “It is odd, you’re right.”

 

Norman then looks over to the greenhouse, seeing TJ and Jonah swinging from tree branches.

 

“Not another word against Queen Ingrid,” Norman says. “You’re marrying Princess Iris and that’s final.”

 

\--------------------

 

Buffy hid in a nook of an old tree in the greenhouse. She felt like she had to hide from the servants of the castle. She felt so small.

 

She hears Andi and Walker coming, and she appears from the tree.

 

“Buffy, you will not believe what I’ve heard,” Walker says, his feathers ruffling. “Prince Cyrus and Princess Iris are having a royal engagement ball.”

 

Andi squints at him. “What’s that?”

 

Walker rolls his eyes. “Everyone knows that a royal ball is big and round like a coconut.”

 

Buffy hasn’t had a lot of experience with this sort of thing, but she just watches her brother and sister bicker.

 

“We know what it isn’t then,” Andi says.

 

“An engagement ball is a big party to celebrate the marriage of Prince Cyrus and Princess Iris,” Buffy says with a bit of happiness.

 

“We cannot let TJ go to that,” Walker replies.

 

As if on cue, TJ and Jonah come in. TJ looked happy. For the most part.

 

“On the contrary,” Andi walks over to TJ, and explains the situation to TJ.

 

“No, Andi, no ball,” He says once she’s done talking.

 

“But why?”

 

TJ sighs with annoyance. “I’ve been embarrassed enough. You know what the king and queen think of me,” He replies sadly. “The strange island boy.”

 

Walker flies up to a branch.

 

“You just need to show them you’re every bit as royal as they are.”

 

Jonah then steps forward, his head held high.

 

“I can promise that the ball is much fun. I can teach you what you need to know.”

 

TJ chuckles flatly. “Including what I should wear?” He gestures to his tunic.

 

“Leave that to me!” Andi and Jonah said at the same time. They look at each other with at first astonishment and then with resentment.

 

This was going to be a challenge.

 

\--------------------

 

Jonah holds up a suit to TJ. He brought them into his room. It was huge, why would a monkey need this much space?

 

“You must wear the best slacks. That includes the fabric, the tailor and the style,” Jonah says.

 

Andi rolls her eyes. “Please, au natural is quite the height of style. Nothing that you’re wearing fits his personality.”

 

Jonah throws the suit behind him.

 

“Andi, I’ve been to these before. No one wears that, trust me,” Jonah counters.

 

Andi scoffs. Their arguments are petty in Walker’s opinion. Though Andi was very wise, she could be very persistent.

 

“The suit must be tight,” Jonah says to Andi.

 

“No, it must be loose,” Andi counters.

 

“Then it must be green,” Jonah tries to compromise.

 

“It must be purple!” Andi yells.

 

“STOP!” TJ screams, standing from his seat. “I get that you’re trying to help, but please get along.”

 

He walks over to Jonah.

 

“I know that I must look my best,” TJ looks back at Andi. “And I know that my choices must reflect me.”

 

TJ places his hand on his hips.

 

“I think I look nice in island blue.”

 

Jonah’s face lights up, going to the closet and grabbing the specific colored suit.

 

The suit was the island blue color TJ asked for, and the cuffs on the sleeves and trousers were sparkly in glitter.

 

“This will look amazing!”

 

TJ goes behind a changing screen, undressing from his tunic and trying the suit on. It was a perfect fit.

 

“It’s almost perfect. There’s just something missing,” TJ hums.

 

Walker shows some feathers that were plucked from him, sewn into a cape.

 

“Walker, I couldn’t,” TJ says, shaking his head.

 

“Please, I believe they’ll do.”

 

TJ takes the cape, swinging it over his shoulders and clipping it in place.

 

Buffy gasps upon seeing her brother.

 

“One more thing!” She exclaims, grabbing a rose from a vase with her trunk. Buffy settles it in the outer breast pocket.

 

“You’ll take their breath away!” Walker says with tears in his eyes, proud of what TJ looks like.

 

“You look like a jewel!” Jonah adds.

 

TJ thinks about how much of a good time he’ll have at the ball.

 

\--------------------

 

The ball was a lovely affair so far. Cyrus would have fun if it were for a different event.

 

He was dancing with Iris. For the fifth time. All he wanted to do was sit down and rest his feet. And he knew that Iris was in agony with foot cramps as well.

 

“Tell me, Cyrus. What do you do when you’re not sailing?” She asks.

 

“Outdoors if I’m lucky,” Cyrus answers. “Do you enjoy horseback ride? Hike?”

 

Iris’ face drops. “Not exactly.”

 

Cyrus’ face drops as well. No matter how hard he tried, he would never find anything in common with Iris.

 

“What do you like to do when you’re not playing the harp?” He asks her.

 

She smiles. “Well, I love opera.”

 

Darn it. Another thing he hates.

 

The music ends, making them stop dancing.

 

Ingrid walks over to them. “Oh! Such a striking couple!” She exclaims. Her excitement over them was making them both crazy. “No one can take their eyes off you!”

 

Cyrus smiles politely. “Their eyes must be on your beautiful daughter,” He replies. “Excuse me please.”

 

Cyrus walks away from them, going to a food table. He pops a couple of grapes in his mouth, making a satisfied noise at the taste.

 

Then everyone gasps in the direction of the grand staircase and he looks in that direction.

 

Everyone was exclaiming and gasping at TJ.

 

He looked handsome wearing his suit and the thing that really blew him away was his cape.

 

Once TJ was on the main floor, the anxiety came back. Everyone was looking at him, including Cyrus.

 

Cyrus walked up to him, smiling.

 

“Would you care to dance?” Cyrus says, holding his hand out.

 

“Are you kidding?” TJ whispers. “Look at all these people!”

 

Cyrus chuckles. “If you can tame crocodiles, I think you can handle dancing,” He says back to TJ. “Just follow your instinct.”

 

TJ nervously laughs, grabbing Cyrus’ hand and getting into position. TJ placed his right hand on Cyrus’ shoulder, and his left hand grabbed Cyrus’ right. Cyrus placed his left hand against TJ’s waist.

 

The guests start dancing again, but their attention is on Cyrus and TJ.

 

“My, is that the island boy?” King Norman asks.

 

“I barely recognized him in the suit,” Queen Leslie smiles.

 

Ingrid walks over to the king and queen, with a disgusted look on her face.

 

“I thought we had an arrangement, your Majesty.”

 

Norman and Leslie’s starstruck expressions dissipate, remembering the fact that Cyrus was engaged to Iris.

 

“We do,” Norman confirms.

 

“My mother always said ‘never put off till tomorrow what can be done today’,’” Ingrid says, ingraining an idea in their heads. “We should move up the wedding so we can avoid any distractions.”

 

“I see your point,” Norman sent a disgusted look to TJ.

 

Cyrus and TJ kept dancing. All of it felt familiar to TJ, as if he’s danced before. He knew the steps and only stepped on Cyrus’ foot once.

 

Whenever TJ faced the side door, he saw his brother and sisters smiling at him. But when he looked again, Andi was gone.

 

“TJ, I… I want you to stay,” Cyrus says out of the blue.

 

“I…” TJ hesitated. “I can’t… Princess Iris-”

 

Cyrus interrupted him “She’s great, but-” TJ pulled away from Cyrus.

 

“You belong together,” TJ says sadly. “I never should’ve come.”

 

TJ starts to walk away.

 

“TJ, no, wait!” Cyrus calls.

 

TJ turns back to him. “Please, Cyrus. Don’t make this harder.”

 

And with that, TJ left the ball.

 

\--------------------

 

TJ leaned over the stone balcony outside the ballroom. Walker, Buffy and Andi surrounded him, comforting him.

 

“Why is everything so complicated?” TJ mumbles.

 

“Life is full of change. Some good, some not.”

 

TJ sighs. “I need to know where I belong. Where I’m from,” He said. “Why I can’t remember anything before I got to the island.”

 

Andi smiles. “Well, I think I found something. See that flag over there?”

 

She pointed to a carriage with a familiar flag.

 

“The one with the white rose?” TJ asked.

 

“When you first arrived on the island, a flag washed ashore with you. That same flag.”

 

TJ’s face becomes hopeful. “I never knew that.”

 

Andi laughs. “I didn’t know it mattered until tonight.”

 

TJ ran down the stairs to the carriage, seeing a horse attached to it.

 

“Excuse me!” TJ called, gaining the horse’s attention. “This flag, where’s it from?”

 

“The great kingdom of Paladia.”

 

The name sounds familiar.

 

“And how far is that?” TJ asked.

 

“About a two day journey, along with the riv-” The horse’s eyes widen. “You actually understand me?”

 

TJ was getting tired of that question.

 

“Yes,” He said sincerely. “Whom did you bring tonight?”

 

The horse regains his composure. “The Duke and Duchess.”

 

TJ hums. “Do you know if they had a son once long ago?”

 

“No, they have no children.”

 

TJ’s face drops. So close yet so far.

 

“Oh. Well, thank you.”

 

TJ walked back to his family. At least they have the flag. That’s a clue.

 

\--------------------

 

Cyrus was called into his father’s bed quarters after the ball. He hoped it was regarding another journey.

 

“You asked to see me, Father?”

 

Norman turned back to his son. “There’s been a change in your wedding plans.”

 

Cyrus’ mouth twitches into a hopeful smile. “Yes?”

 

“You will marry Iris in two days.”

 

Cyrus’ smile fades with shock. “What?! Two days?! I can’t!”

 

Norman scoffs. “Can’t what?”

 

“Marry someone I don’t love.”

 

Norman walks over to Cyrus. “Your responsibility as a prince is to marry a princess. To align our kingdoms.”

 

Cyrus has had enough of his parents choosing things for him.

 

“You said once that kings have to make hard decisions. And this is the hardest decision I’m making,” Cyrus says, taking off his crown.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Cyrus sets the crown on Norman’s desk.

 

“Marty will take over the kingdom as viceroy,” He states.

 

Norman’s face soured, his brows knitting in anger. “Don’t try my patience, Cyrus.”

 

“I’m sorry, Father, but I can’t spend the rest of my life with someone I don’t love.”

 

Cyrus turns around, away from his father.

 

\--------------------

 

Cyrus went out to the greenhouse, thinking he’d find TJ, but with no luck.

 

“TJ? Where are you?” He called.

 

He takes a quill pen and a piece of parchment he’d grabbed from his room, writing a message for TJ to run away with him that night.

 

He placed the paper and set it on a rock next to the fountain.

 

As he walks out, Buffy, who was hiding, walks to the piece of paper, and reads the note.

 

Her body fills with anger, feeling the need to protect her brother.

 

“He’s not going anywhere with my TJ.”

 

\--------------------

 

Ingrid was furious. After Iris went to bed, she started devising a new plan.

 

And it involved her pet mice, Gus, Kira, and Leo.

 

“I wish I didn’t have to do this, but I didn’t expect for the prince to fall in love with that boy,” She said to the cage. “Gus, Kira, Leo, I have a job for you.”

 

The mice look to her.

 

“I want you to visit all the animals in the kingdom,” She gives a sly grin. “Put this powder in their food. When they eat, they’ll go into a deep sleep and the island boy will get blamed.”

 

The mice mirror her grin. But they want something and she recognized their look.

 

“Don’t worry. All the cheese you desire will be right here when you get back,” Ingrid winks.

 

Ingrid opens the cage, letting the mice out and giving them the powder pouch.

 

Gus, Kira and Leo were always the ones to do Ingrid’s dirty work. They were the only animals that she loved. They ventured out into Jonah’s room, sprinkling the powder into his food.

 

They dreamt of all the cheese they wanted, what kinds, what shapes.

 

All while poisoning the animals of Apollonia.

 

\--------------------

 

TJ and his family were at the stables to visit Reed and Lester. When they got there, the pigs were asleep. They waited awhile, but got concerned when they wouldn’t wake up.

 

TJ placed a hand on Reed. He’s breathing, that’s good.

 

“Are they sick?” TJ asks.

 

A bird flies down to the stable. “Sick to their stomachs maybe.”

 

TJ smiles, realizing that it’s the bird he’d helped when he first arrived. But his smile left when she flew over to the pig’s feeding trough.

 

“I saw some rats put something in their food.”

 

TJ’s face scrunches, and he stands up and walks over to the trough, taking a bit of the food. He brought it to his nose and gasped.

 

“Oh, no,” TJ mumbled. “They ate Sunset Herb.”

 

Walker gives a confused look. “Those rats must be insane. Sunset Herb is dangerous.”

 

TJ looks at the pigs concernedly.

 

“Can you help them?” The bird asks.

 

“Back home, if someone ate Sunset Herb by mistake, I would make a rose tonic to wake them up.”

 

Buffy walks towards TJ. “But there are no island roses here.”

 

“Yes, there is, in the greenhouse,” TJ says.

 

“I’m sure Prince Cyrus would let us have some,” Andi adds. Buffy falters, remembering the note from the night before.

 

“Um, TJ, about the prince…” Buffy trailed off.

 

“Yes?” TJ asks.

 

Buffy thought about telling TJ, but she shook her head. “Nothing, nevermind.”

 

TJ smiled to her, walking away from the stable.

 

\--------------------

 

Marty walked down the hall with his book in hand. He was called into the throne room, gaining the news that Jonah couldn’t wake up.

 

And since Marty was the royal scientist, it was up to him to figure something out.

 

“Good day, Marty!” Ingrid says, startling Marty.

 

“Good day, your Majesty,” Marty greets, barely looking up from his notes.

 

“Going to see the king?” Ingrid asks.

 

“Yes, I’m going to tell him that the animals have no sign of waking.”

 

Ingrid fakes a sad sigh. “What a horrible disease! Is it contagious?”

 

Marty sighs himself. “Seems likely. It’s apparently something new in their habitat.”

 

Ingrid gasps. “Something foreign?” She asked. “Like animals from the South Seas?”

 

Marty stops in his tracks. “Yes, you’re right!” He exclaimed. “Thank you, your Majesty, I have to let the king know.” Marty runs to the throne room.

 

Ingrid chuckles evilly. “Yes, you do that.”

 

Her plot was going to plan.

 

\--------------------

 

Norman and Leslie have been trying to wake up Jonah for hours. They didn’t know what else to do. Metcalf came in earlier, saying that TJ was requesting to see them, but Norman rejected the request.

 

Leslie looked down sadly at the sleeping Jonah.

 

“Oh, Jonah,” She mumbles.

 

“Your Highnesses,” Marty calls out. “I’ve gotten a breakthrough about the animals.”

 

Norman nods his head, prompting Marty to continue.

 

“I’m afraid to say that TJ brought the illness with him. He and his animals made ours sleep with some sort of disease.”

 

Leslie gasps. “Poor Jonah.”

 

Norman feels sympathetic to Jonah, but he’s furious.

 

“I knew that boy couldn’t be trusted,” He hits his fist on the throne’s armrest. “But I don’t understand why his animals don’t sleep like ours.”

 

Marty shrugs lazily. “Well, some carriers can be immune.”

 

Leslie looks up to Marty. “How can we cure Jonah and the others?”

 

Marty hangs his head in sadness. “I’m not sure.”

 

Leslie looks back down at Jonah. “But if we can’t help them, they’ll starve to death!”

 

Norman has heard enough.

 

“Guards!”

 

\--------------------

 

TJ sat in between his sisters, tears building up in his eyes. He was only trying to see Cyrus when the royal guards came and took him and his family to the dungeons.

 

Walker’s head hung low in between the bars of the cell. “Look how low I’ve sunk. A royal bird in a cell.”

 

TJ sighs.

 

“Are we really prisoners?” Buffy asks.

 

A guard comes by with a tray of food for them, sliding it under a gap in the bars.

 

“I rest my case,” Walker squacked. The guard is about to leave, glaring at them, until TJ stood up.

 

“Please, let me see Prince Cyrus,” TJ pleads. “If the animals don’t wake up soon, they’ll die.”

 

The guard hums. “You should have thought of that before your animals got them sick.” He storms off.

 

“But they didn’t!” TJ yells, trying to clear his name, but the guard didn’t come back. He sighs sadly.

 

Walker takes a bite of the food the guards gave them, making disgusted noises. “Ugh, now I know why people break out of prison.”

 

TJ makes a shocked face, gasping. “You’re not eating that!”

 

Walker rolls his eyes. “Don’t be foolish, TJ. You’d think I’d be dumb enough to eat Sunset Her-” His sentence stops as he falls to the floor, passing out due to the sleeping herb.

 

“Walker, no!” TJ grabs his brother, cradling him in his arms. “Walker…”

 

Andi and Buffy look at Walker, worried looks on their faces.

 

\--------------------

 

Cyrus was angry. There has been very few times where he was angry. Cyrus has been letting the anger build for days, and now he’s had enough.

 

“Is it true?” Cyrus asked his father outside the throne room. “You really put TJ in the dungeons?”

 

King Norman turns around, looking at his son with absolute nonchalance.

 

“I had no choice, Cyrus.”

 

Cyrus sighs. “That’s not true. He would never hurt anyone.”

 

Norman huffs. “So you think I should free him?”

 

Cyrus nods his head. “Yes. And let him return to his island,” Though it did hurt when he said it, he had to. He couldn’t let TJ get hurt.

 

“On one condition,” Norman walks toward Cyrus. “You must resume your duties as Prince. And marry Princess Iris.”

 

Cyrus falters. “Father-”

 

Norman interrupts him. “Great kings must make hard decisions.”

 

Cyrus looks down, feeling helpless.

 

But TJ had to be safe.

 

“As you wish,” He relents.

 

\--------------------

 

TJ felt confused of why he and his family was getting escorted to the docks. Three guards told him he was free to go, as long as he didn’t come back to Apollonia.

 

TJ, Andi and Buffy walked up the ramp to the ship, while the still asleep Walker is laying on Buffy’s back.

 

The ship crew isn’t wearing the royal blue attire that the Goodman’s have, they were wearing red. It must be for Iris’ crew.

 

They were only maybe forty minutes into their trip home.

 

“I don’t understand,” Buffy says. “Who could do this to the animals?”

 

TJ grabs Walker, looking down and looking back up in sadness. “Someone who wants me out of the prince’s life for good.”

 

TJ sighs.

 

“Princess Iris?” Buffy suggests, but TJ shakes his head.

 

“No, she’s much too kind to hurt someone,” He replies.

 

“Unlike her pushy mother,” Andi adds.

 

TJ nods. “Exactly. We need to get back to the greenhouse and make that tonic.”

 

Buffy anxiously shakes her head. “No! They’ll throw you in the dungeons again!”

 

TJ sets Walker on Buffy’s back again. “I can’t let the animals die while I can save them.”

 

Andi smiles. “The king and queen may not see you as a prince, but know that you are a prince in my eyes.”

 

Buffy’s emotions get the better of her, and she starts sobbing.

 

“Buffy?” TJ questions.

 

Buffy sniffles. “I hid it! I didn’t tell you and I hid it!”

 

Buffy goes to another part of the ship.

 

“Hid what?” TJ asks.

 

“A note from the prince, asking to run away with you.”

 

TJ leans down to her level. “Why didn’t you tell me?” His tone wasn’t angry or hostile. It was gentle and soft.

 

“I didn't want you to leave me. If you marry the prince, you'll forget about us,” Buffy tearfully says. “Please don't hate me.”

 

TJ smiles heartbroken. “Buffy, I could never hate you. I love you.”

 

Buffy doesn’t really believe him. “But you love the prince.”

 

TJ stands up, but he doesn’t leave Buffy. “Buffy, you have feelings. And it’s okay. But you can’t shut yourself out. Love grows and it means we would have someone else to love.”

 

Buffy sniffles. “Yeah?”

 

“I’m still gonna be your TJ. And you’re still gonna be my Buffy.”

 

Buffy and Andi smile.

 

“We need to get back to the castle,” Andi says. TJ and Buffy nod.

 

TJ walks to one of the lifeboats. “Andi, help me untie the boat.”

 

Andi walks over to TJ, trying to untie the ropes to the boat.

 

The captain of the ship sees this and turns the wheel so they swerve. TJ loses his footing, but regains balance in a minute. However, a pole of the ship hits TJ’s waist, and knocks him overboard.

 

“TJ!” Andi shrieks.

 

Buffy jumps in after him, Walker still on her back. Andi jump in as well, not leaving her sister and brothers

 

Walker floats toward TJ and he grabs onto him.

 

“Buffy!” TJ calls. He sees Buffy bobbing up and down in the water, struggling to keep her head above the water.

 

“Hold on, TJ! Hold on!” Andi calls.

 

The calls bring up a memory from the back of TJ’s mind, one that he remembers.

 

***

 

**_“Hold on! Hold on!” Someone called._ **

 

**_He bobbed in the water. He could barely remember the swim lessons his father taught him._ **

 

**_“Hold on, Tristan Jacob!”_ **

 

***

 

TJ gasps. There’s been no mention to his real name before the island.

 

“Tristan Jacob?” He mumbles. He comes out of his daze upon Andi swimming over to them.

 

“Hold on, Buffy!” Andi yells.

 

TJ thinks of what to do to get back to Apollonia. The clicking of dolphins get his attention.

 

“Dolphins! Help! Help us!” TJ calls out. The dolphins swim to them, going under them and supporting them.

 

TJ starts regaining memories, getting one of a young girl singing to her.

 

Who was she?

 

\--------------------

 

Amber adjusts her crown as her carriage pulled up to the castle. After nearly a year as queen, she was exhausted. She was the sole heir after her parents passed away. But she seemed to be doing well.

 

She had declined on the invitation to the engagement ball, but she did accept the wedding invitation.

 

Amber stood up from her seat once the carriage stops, opening the door and stepping onto the concrete.

 

She barely had time to react when a bird falls from the sky.

 

“Oh…” She leans down, holding out her hand. The bird hops up into Amber’s hand. “Poor thing,” She regains her posture, petting the bird’s back with her index finger. The bird flew away. “There you are, dear.”

 

Amber closed the door to the carriage, and walked up the stairs to the castle.

 

“Good day, your Majesty,” Metcalf says.

 

“Thank you,” Amber replies, smiling.

 

\--------------------

 

Iris smooths out the wrinkles of her wedding dress. She couldn’t believe it was today. She wished she could just walk out, but she knew she’d be hunted down.

 

“After all these years, the answers to your dreams!” Ingrid exclaims.

 

“My dreams?” Iris questions.

 

“Our dreams, dear,” Ingrid changes. “Now, no food on your wedding day, not one bite.”

 

Iris tilts her head. “Why not?”

 

Ingrid couldn’t tell her the real reason why she didn’t want her to eat. “It’s bad luck, darling.”

 

The real reason Ingrid didn’t want Iris to eat was because she’d poisoned the food with Sunset Herb the night before.

 

“Yes, Mother,” Iris relented.

 

Iris was going to rule over Apollonia and Ingrid ruled over Iris.

 

\--------------------

 

TJ lifts himself onto the docks, helping Walker, Andi and Buffy on, too. He thanks the dolphins, and they swim away.

 

“You really remember everything from before?” Andi asks.

 

TJ shakes his head. “Not everything, but a lot,” TJ discloses. “Perhaps enough to find my family.”

 

Everyone starts running in the direction of the castle, not stopping for breath.

 

TJ hasn’t seen anyone yet. No one saw him.

 

Once making it to the castle, the food was laid out.

 

“Oh. The wedding,” TJ mumbles. “Okay, we need to start making the tonic.”

 

They run to the table, grabbing a bowl and island roses on display.

 

Buffy sniffs the wedding cake. “TJ, there’s Sunset Herb on the cake.”

 

TJ makes a worried face. “We have to get this done right away.”

 

\--------------------

 

Iris stood outside the grand staircase, about to walk down the aisle with her mother. Once the fanfare sounded, she would be off to marry someone she didn’t properly know or love.

 

She wished that her father was still alive. She wished he gave her the guidance she needed.

 

The clacking of Ingrid’s heels didn’t calm her. It made her more anxious.

 

“Look how lovely you look,” Ingrid coos. “Don’t slouch.”

 

Iris straightened her back and Ingrid held out her arm for Iris to hold onto while going down the aisle. Iris links her arm with her mother, still feeling uneasy.

 

The fanfare sounds and the mother and daughter started down the aisle.

 

The end of the aisle was at the bottom of the stairs, and standing there was the minister, Norman and Leslie and Cyrus.

 

Cyrus had the same face as Iris, not happy.

 

Iris just wanted to run out. Forever and never look back.

 

Iris came back to reality upon stopping in front of Cyrus.

 

This was happening.

 

\--------------------

 

TJ laid Walker on the table after finishing a batch of the medicine. He hasn’t made it in months. The last time someone ate Sunset Herb was when Buffy first met them.

 

“Hold him steady, Andi,” He says and Andi obeys, holding Walker’s head.

 

“Halt!” A deep voice startled them, prompting TJ to turn around, seeing two guards.

 

“Please, I’m just trying to help the animals,” TJ tries.

 

The guards stomp forward, and TJ turns to Andi, giving her the bowl.

 

“Bring this to Jonah, Buffy, go with her,” He instructs and his sisters leave the reception area.

 

\--------------------

 

Iris’ expression never changed. She didn’t crack a smile. Was this going to be her life forever? Having an unloving marriage? Having children that could suffer the same fate as her and their father?

 

“We are gathered here to join in matrimony Princess Iris to His Highness, Prince Cyrus. If someone objects to this union speak now or forever hold your peace.”

 

On cue, they hear the elephant trumpets and a door bursts open, revealing Buffy and Andi.

 

“Buffy?” Cyrus asks.

 

Everyone gasps, even Iris. Buffy walks up to Cyrus while Andi goes up the stairs. The elephant tugs on Cyrus’ arm.

 

“What is it, Buffy?”

 

Buffy nods her head to the reception area, beckoning him to follow her.

 

Iris, Norman, Leslie and Ingrid follow soon afterwards, including some of the guests.

 

Cyrus sees the guards holding TJ’s arms with force.

 

“Release him at once,” Cyrus orders, but the guards don’t move.

 

“But your Highness, your father-”

 

Cyrus steps forward. “I said at once.”

 

The guards let go of TJ.

 

“Are you alright, TJ?” Cyrus asks. TJ nods his head.

 

Cyrus’ parents, Iris and Ingrid witnessed the whole thing from afar.

 

“What do you think you’re doing?” Norman scolds, making Cyrus turn to him.

 

“We had a deal, Father. I marry Iris and TJ goes free.”

 

TJ gasps. That’s why they were released.

 

He looks to the side, seeing a woman in a green gown, blonde hair and blue eyes, perhaps his age. She looks… familiar.

 

“How dare he interrupt the wedding!” Ingrid screams. “This wild boy and his animals are spreading disease!”

 

TJ shakes his head. “We’re not. Someone put a poisonous herb in the animal’s food, and I can cure them if you let me. I can make a healing tonic,” He explains, smiling sincerely.

 

Ingrid rolls her eyes. “Surely you don’t believe him! It’s absurd!”

 

TJ frowns but perks up when he hears the chattering of Jonah and he sees the monkey and Andi running up to them.

 

“Jonah!” TJ exclaims, and Jonah hops up to him, hugging him.

 

“Thank you, TJ!” Jonah happily says.

 

Leslie nearly burst into tears as TJ handed Jonah to her.

 

“Maybe we should trust him, Norman,” Leslie whispers to Norman.

 

Norman looks at TJ apprehensively. “So if you didn’t spread any illness, then who put the herb in the animal’s food?”

 

TJ looked at everyone, and did not hesitate. “Ingrid.”

 

Everyone, but Ingrid, gasps.

 

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Ingrid yells.

 

TJ didn’t stop there. “She even put Sunset Herb in the cake, too.” Once again, everyone gasps.

 

“Now everyone can see how crazy you are!” Ingrid’s voice was wavering, and she also laughed nervously.

 

“Well, if I’m so crazy, feel free to try some cake,” TJ offers.

 

Ingrid laughs again. “Preposterous! We haven’t had dinner!” Her plan was crumbling right in front of her.

 

“Please,” Cyrus says, cutting a piece of the cake and serving it on a plate. “Try a bite.” He held the plate out to her.

 

Ingrid takes the plate and a fork from a plate placement, stabbing the cake and lifting it to her mouth.

 

Everyone waited in anticipation, but Ingrid didn’t take a bite of the cake.

 

“Well, how do I know you didn’t put something in the cake yourself to frame me?” Ingrid practically screams.

 

“He didn’t, Mother,” Iris says firmly. “You told me not to eat anything. Why would you say that unless… you poisoned it?” Once again, everyone gasps.

 

Ingrid dropped the cake, running to a carriage.

 

“We can’t let her get away!” Cyrus yells, running in her direction.

 

TJ and Buffy followed, but went off in another direction.

 

And Ingrid, she stole the carriage, knocking the coachman down from the seat and whipping the horses with the bridle.

 

The carriage rides out of the castle grounds, into the gardens, but Cyrus catches up to it, grabbing onto the side of the carriage.

 

“Stop!” He yells, but Ingrid makes the carriage go faster.

 

Cyrus sees TJ riding Buffy, determination on his face. TJ was holding a sharp branch.

 

“Cyrus, get off the carriage!” TJ yells to him. Cyrus obeys, jumping off the carriage. “Steady, Buffy.”

 

Buffy ran faster, and TJ threw the branch into the left rear wheel. The carriage wobbles, but it starts to break down. It finally breaks when it hits a rock, flinging Ingrid into the stable.

 

All Cyrus heard from her was her screams.

 

\--------------------

 

TJ shyly smiles at the king and queen. He didn’t feel nervous around them anymore. Not judged.

 

They helped all the animals, Walker was okay.

 

“Please forgive me, TJ,” Norman nicely says. “I assumed the worst without giving you a chance.”

 

Leslie grabs TJ’s hand, holding it. “We owe you so much.”

 

TJ lets go of Leslie’s hand, shaking his head. “I’m just glad I could help.”

 

Cyrus watches the interaction from afar, next to Iris.

 

“Someday, I hope to find someone that looks at me the way you look at TJ,” Iris whispered to him.

 

“When that happens, they will be the lucky one,” They smile at each other.

 

TJ turns around, wanting to talk to Cyrus, but stops when he sees the prince and princess talking.

 

TJ sadly sighs. “They make a beautiful couple.”

 

TJ starts to walk away, but Buffy tugs on his hand with her trunk.

 

“Then why is the prince coming over here?” She squeals.

 

TJ turns around again, seeing Cyrus walking over until he stops in front of TJ.

 

“Sail away with me,” Cyrus declares, making TJ gasp.

 

“But Princess Iris-”

 

“Wants us to be happy,” Cyrus says. “TJ, will you marry me?”

 

TJ’s eyes widen, drawing a blank. “I…”

 

Buffy rolls her eyes, tugging TJ’s hand on top of Cyrus’.

 

“Yes. I’ll marry you.”

 

They hug happily, not wanting to let go. They only part when they hear Cyrus’ father clear his throat.

 

“Father, no more nonsense about me marrying a princess. I love TJ.”

 

Norman looks at Leslie and back to Cyrus. “Perhaps it is time for a change.” He walks towards TJ. “Welcome to the family, TJ.”

 

Norman holds out his arms for a hug, which TJ reciprocates. “Please, call me Tristan Jacob!”

 

Cyrus looks at him surprisingly.

 

“My real name is Tristan Jacob.”

 

Cyrus smiles. “You remember.”

 

TJ turns to Cyrus, but sees the woman walk up.

 

“Oh, TJ, this is Queen Amber Kippen of Paladia,” Cyrus introduces.

 

“Hello,” TJ mumbles.

 

“Your name is Tristan Jacob?” Amber asks.

 

TJ nods his head. “Yes.”

 

Amber sadly smiles. “I had a brother named Tristan Jacob.”

 

A switch flips inside TJ’s head. He knew who she was. But there was only one thing to be sure.

 

“ _Sun goes down and we are here together,_ ” He sings, and Amber’s jaw drops. “ _Fireflies glow like a thousand charms._ ”

 

Amber tearfully walks to him, carefully. “ _Stay with me and you can dream forever right here in my arms tonight._ ”

 

She engulfs him in a loving hug, emotional about the whole ordeal.

 

“TJ found his sister,” Buffy says.

 

“And since his sister is a queen, that makes him-” Andi starts and Walker finishes.

 

“A prince.”

 

Amber lets go of the hug. “ _Sounds of day fade away._ ” She sings along.

 

TJ knew the lyrics now. “ _Stars begin to climb._ ”

 

TJ felt a new sense of who he was.

 

“ _Melodies fill the breeze, sweeter all the time._ ” They sing together. “ _Sun goes down and we are here together._ _Fireflies glow like a thousand charms._ _Stay with me and you can dream forever right here in my arms tonight._ ”

 

They finish singing, hugging again in the end.

 

“Oh, TJ,” Amber cries into his shoulder.

 

TJ found his family. And nothing will take that away

 

\--------------------

 

Fanfares sounded and TJ felt his heart pound. It was happening. He was getting married.

 

Amber was at his side, going to hand him off.

 

After a month of learning things about each other, he decided that it was time to marry his love.

 

“I’m so nervous,” TJ whispers.

 

“Don’t worry, TJ,” Amber whispers back. “You’ll be okay.”

 

TJ and Amber started walking down the aisle, and the sight of the venue was breathtaking.

 

Everyone wore the respective colors of Cyrus and TJ’s kingdoms, blue and green, and there were island roses everywhere they turned.

 

Iris was there as Cyrus’ best woman, after becoming friends with all of them.

 

Marty was sitting in the guest chairs near Andi, Walker and Buffy.

 

TJ has never thought he’d be here. With his sister and getting married, and finding out he was a prince before the island.

 

As Amber left him at the altar, she stood by Iris.

 

The minister said his vows, and the rings were exchanged.

 

Sometimes, no one knows what they’re yearning for. It could be right in front of them. TJ found what he needed and Cyrus found what he needed.

 

After the wedding, TJ and Cyrus left on a boat for the honeymoon.

 

Everyone waved goodbye to them, proud of their new adventure.

 

Now TJ knew who he was. Old concerns were behind TJ and Cyrus. No Ingrid, no arranged marriage, no stress. Just happiness.

 

There may be miracles awaiting for the newlyweds, perhaps closer than they think.  When you have love to guide them, they’re invincible.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want me to do more Barbie AU's, I will do the movies from the years 2001-2011, mainly because the Barbie movies from 2012 onward are trash. But I have more AU's for Andi Mack coming out soon! Hope you all enjoyed!
> 
> Love, Abbey Elizabeth.


End file.
